Few performers in history have had the same type of career as Bruce Willis has in the entertainment industry. Not only has Bruce been a big screen superstar by appearing in films like Die Hard, but he has also found success on the small screen by appearing in shows like Friends. His love life has certainly kept him in the tabloids over the years, and at the end of the day, his time in Hollywood has been a lucrative one.

Being a massive success comes with massive paychecks, including a $100 million payday by starring in The Sixth Sense. This unique distinction places Willis among the highest earners in history, and the way that he was able to pull this off was genius.

So, how did Bruce Willis manage to land himself such a huge payday? Let’s take a look at the situation and see!

His Upfront Pay For The Film

Bruce Willis
Via imdb.com

In order to get a clear view on Bruce Willis’ full pay for the movie, it is important to take a look at his upfront pay to star in The Sixth Sense.

When the casting was taking place for the film, Bruce Willis was already an established movie star. Not only had he been in a successful film franchise, but he had reinvigorated his career in the 90s. One of the biggest ways he did this was by appearing in Pulp Fiction, back in 1994. This film was a massive hit, and it showed that Willis still had the goods.

Naturally, Willis wanted to make a nice chunk of change for starring in The Sixth Sense, and he did a pretty good job when it came to negotiating his pay. According to Cheat Sheet, Willis was able to make $14 million upfront for this time as the lead in the film.

Willis had to be happy by landing a payday like this, but it is interesting to note that there were other stars out there that were pulling down more. Nevertheless, $14 million was a great way to get the ball rolling on the project.

Eventually, the film would finally hit theaters, and what happened next truly changed the game for Bruce and his massive net worth.

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The Sixth Sense Conquers The Box Office

Bruce Willis
Via imdb.com

Now that Willis had gotten a huge upfront pay for The Sixth Sense, it was time for the film to hit theaters and actually perform at the box office. There is always a ton of risk that comes with making a film, but the studio hit a grand slam here.

The Sixth Sense was made for roughly $40 million, which is a pretty modest budget. It also means that Willis’ pay for the film ate up a huge chunk of the film’s budget. Nevertheless, the studio was still able to make it happen and successfully launch the film in August of 1999.

Once the dust had settled from the film’s box office run, it was able to generate an incredible $672 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. This was a staggering number that no one could have predicted, and many people viewed The Sixth Sense as one of the most memorable films of the entire decade.

This film was a success for all involved, and it worked wonders for everyone’s careers. M. Night Shyamalan was a red hot director and Bruce Willis was still on top of the industry. The film’s box office receipts not only meant that the film was a blockbuster hit, but it also meant that Bruce Willis was set to cash in.

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He Profits From The Profits

Bruce Willis
Via imdb.com

The Sixth Sense was officially a massive success at the box office, and even now, people still buzz about the film’s twist. One thing certain people also buzz about is just how much money Bruce Willis wound up making from the film.

Willis was smart to get himself $14 million upfront, but he was even smarter to make an interesting stipulation in his contract. Bruce would normally charge $20 million to be in a movie, but he reduced his pay in favor of taking a portion of the film’s profits. This 15% charge on the profits of a film as huge as The Sixth Sense was a stroke of genius.

Given that the film was such a financial success, Willis would take his $14 million all the way to $100 million, according to Cheat Sheet. Had he taken his normal salary and not negotiated the profit points, Willis would have lost out on $80 million. Sure, $20 million is a ridiculous amount of money, but it truly pales in comparison to making 9 figures.

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Only a huge movie star can command a massive salary or negotiate an interesting stipulation into their contract, which shows the type of pull that Bruce Willis had back in the 90s. We imagine that he’s still making money off the flick after all these years.

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